Unforgiven
by Mergana Pendragon
Summary: It's Merlins third time going on patrol with Arthur this week, nothing can go wrong... Can it? ONE SHOT (was one shot but continued on request of other people.)
1. Mutual betrayel

"Why do i have to come on the patrols?" Merlin complained for the thirteenth time.

Arthur rolled his eyes but still answered the questions he had answered over a thousand times.

"Although you are the most useless servant I have ever had, you are giddy and nervous which makes you on alert and though i hate to admit it you see some things we don't." As Arthur spoke the words they tasted as bad as one of Gaius' potions.

They had been riding for three hours making Merlin grumpy.

"It's the third patrol this week! I'm sure the bandits aren't just going to pop out of hiding because you've been looking for them..."

Merlin kept talking but Arthur had looked to the left ignoring the servant, he had heard something and he needed to know what it was.

"And I can tell you don't-

"Merlin!"

Merlin looked over at the extremely annoyed Arthur.

"Yes prat?" Merlin asked.

"SHUT UP!" Arthur shouted.

There was an awkward silence due to the obvious tension rising. Suddenly out of no where A group of bandits attacked from almost every angle.

Merlin, Arthur, and the knights quickly dismounted there horses, making sure they got on better ground before they were pulled onto it. Merlin would have felt safer if Gwaine had been here, or any of the other knights he called friend. It just felt wrong without them, like he was actually in danger. The only friend he had near him was Arthur, and he didn't even admit to being Merlin's friend at all.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled looking behind him.

Merlin ducked just in time to miss a blow to the head from a mace. Merlin held up the sword he had been given for protection, Arthur had told him he might not have been good with it but he still needed a weapon. He and the bandit that had nearly taken his head off with the mace he was currently swinging in his hand, were quite evenly matched. While the bandit was getting up Merlin gave a quick look around making sure no one was watching. Arthur was occupied fighting the last -other then the one he was fighting- bandit, and everyone else was dead. _had he really been fighting that **long**_.

"If your looking for help, no ones coming!" the short rival replied.

Merlin shook his head, which confused his opponent long enough to use his magic to send him flying into the tree several feet behind him.

Merlin walked over to the unconscious man laying lumped on the floor, he was still alive and Merlin would have left it that way had the man not known his secret now. He was about to finish the man when he found a sword protruding from his stomach. The sword was pulled out. he turned around ready to blast the attacker back, but couldn't, when he came face to face with a man he once knew. his eyes full of rage and hate. A tear fell as he stared into the cold unforgiving eyes of Arthur Pendragon.

**AN: Review?**


	2. Home

Gwen sat waiting on the stairs for Arthur and Merlin to return. some of the knights had told her it was improper to be sitting on the steps in her very fine gown, to which she simply replied 'You never said such things when I was a servant and in my nicest dress so why should things change now?'

The knights in question gave a slight bow and looked embarrassed, which in normal situations she would have apologized but she was still waiting for her husband to return. _they are fine_ she told herself _Arthur's a skilled fighter, Merlin's a good hider and the rest of the patrol will protect him... Right?_ Gwen was taken from her thoughts by the clip clap of hooves in her direction. She looked up to see Arthur riding into the courtyard about to stand up to greet them she let her face fall as she realized there wasn't a 'them' to greet. Arthur was the only new arrival in the courtyard.

"Wheres the rest of the patrol!?"she asked panic evident in her voice.

Arthur sighed. "dead." he answered.

Gwen's heart raced and tears where threatening to fall.

"Merlin?" She choked out.

Arthur just shook his head. reluctantly leaving out the fact that it was his sword that struck the mortal blow. Gwen saw all the emotions on his face as Arthur walked by; the more clear ones were sadness, hope that this was all a dream, but behind that Gwen saw blind rage, and she hoped he hadn't done anything impulsive because of it. Gwaine came striding out of the castle he hadn't been on the patrol with them since he had gained a slight concussion from a bar brawl. He had ran to the courtyard as soon as he heard that Arthur was back from some quick gossiping servants. Gwaine's hope fell when he saw Gwen's face full of tears, he didn't know why she was crying -the servants had left out the important detail that Arthur was the only one to return- but he knew whatever it was couldn't be good. His eyes drifted to the horse that still stood in the court yard since no one had led her to the stables.

"Wheres Arthur's horse?" Gwaine asked coming to the conclusion that Arthur had died and Merlin had ridden home.

"Is Arthur..." Gwaine trailed off not knowing how to finish that.

"Arthur came back." Gwen explained "But Merlin and the rest are dead."

Gwaine's heart skipped a beat.

"No..." he said in disbelief.

* * *

Gwaine barged into Arthur's chambers without knocking.

"Where is he?!" He yelled walking over to Arthur's desk.

Arthur looked up into the clearly angry Gwaine.

"He's dead." Arthur said with a sad expression.

Gwaine couldn't believe the crap he was being told.

"I meant wheres the body?" Gwaine clarified causing a look of confusion to cross Arthur's face.

"Do I need to bring Merlin's body to prove it to you?" he asked as if the thought of such a thing was the worst thing he had ever heard.

"To give him a proper burial!" Gwaine shouted his frustration rising.

Gwaine put Arthur's terrible behavior down to shock and the finality of a burial/burning, but wasn't at all prepared for Arthur's answer.

"You may retrieve his body if you wish, its in the darkling woods outside the valley of the fallen kings." Arthur replied flatly.

Arthur returned to what he was doing, which Gwaine noticed wasn't a letter to Hunith as he had early thought but instead A new decree that he was working on polishing so no smooth talker could slip through the law.

Gwaine stomped out hoping that he made enough noise that it would wake Arthur from his deep thoughts. But Arthur didn't look up, he didn't even acknowledge Gwaine existed.

**AN: If I shouldn't continue this please tell me! this is my first attempt at reviving this story. **

**Edit: I read through again cause I realized I hadn't spell checked it in my haste.**

** Anon (_spelling, their for people there for place, grief. helps to re-read what you have written._): **

**I only found the word there once and it was used in the right context, as for the other one i didn't find it at all. Please make sure you post the chapter you mean, cause I realized i messed up in chapter one, once.**


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